In a year where everyone from Eminem to Trippie Redd has dropped an album, the best album of the year might just be the soundtrack to a movie. Released in February, Black Panther: The Album is one of the most well-crafted projects for the year. For a generation that has not known of iconic Hip-Hop soundtracks in the way that previous generations have, the Kendrick Lamar led project set the standard for what a Hip-Hop soundtrack can be in today’s climate. With the announcement that the Creed II soundtrack would be produced by Mike WiLL Made-It, comparisons between the two projects began instantly. However, it would not do any justice to either body of work to compare the two.
The soundtrack to Creed II should not be compared to that of Black Panther because that film was a cultural moment like few we have seen before. With that being said, Creed II: The Album does many things well. Beginning with the Lil’ Wayne intro, the project begins with a bang. Wayne is in a new space following his split from Birdman. As a result, his music is in a new place. Immediately after the intro, the project hits its best stretch. “We Can Hit” and “Kill ‘Em With Success” are two records that would be hard even if they weren’t on the soundtrack to a major film. To put simply, we need more collaborations from Crime Mob and Slim Jxmmi. Furthermore, “Kill ‘Em With Success” spotlights Eearz, an artist out of Ear Drummers Records who definitely deserves more shine. A major strong point of this album is to give a spotlight to younger artists who do not always get the platform they deserve.
During the later parts of the soundtrack, heavy hitters like Nas, Rick Ross, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole make appearances. However, the younger artists steal the show. One of the stand out performances on the soundtrack comes from Ari Lennox on “Shea Butter Baby”. Fresh off of releasing a few new singles, the Dreamville singer plays seamlessly off of her mentor, J. Cole. While J. Cole does what he normally does, Lennox delivers a record that is perfectly in her pocket and should definitely get some air time during the film. Later on, Eearz shows out again on “F.I.G.H.T” and Tessa Thompson comes up big again on her second soundtrack appearance. Closing out the soundtrack, Vince Staples and Ella Mai provide their own take on the film’s expected ending.
Creed II: The Album does not disappoint in any way. It’s hard-hitting, fresh and loud. The project does not take too many risks and for this film, that’s ok. The project’s strength lies in its ability to highlight younger artists like Eearz, Ella Mai, Ama Lou, and Ari Lennox. In fact, some of the music from these newer acts is better than what some may find on their own albums. It’s unclear whether there will be another Creed film, but after hearing this soundtrack I sure hope there is so we can get a sequel to this project.
